


Only The Good Die Young

by morganndrake



Category: Uncharted (Video Games)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, F/M, Fluff, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-31
Updated: 2016-11-28
Packaged: 2018-07-28 08:05:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 14,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7631821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morganndrake/pseuds/morganndrake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam is a troublemaker. You are a perfectionist. One encounter leaves you and Sam imprinted on each others lives. Sam needs you, and you need him, yet your differences make things harder than it seems. Travel through the memories you had when you were both teenagers, when Sam left, and when you were left with a choice. (This work is constantly updated, still in progress.) Feedback and comments are always appreciated!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Confrontation

_Samuel Morgan._

The name gave you chills. It brought back almost every emotion someone could ever feel. Anger, sadness happiness, even love. People always asked you how you described Sam, and you could never answer the question fully besides saying “Yeah, he is quite the character”.

You could recall the exact date, the exact time, and the exact place you first met him. Where all of the stories began to form, and where the relationship between you and Sam began to grow.

* * *

  
Your fingers trickled over the ivory piano keys as each note sang to you. You had locked yourself in one of the rehearsal rooms in the music hall. Although you did not take any music classes and you had no reason to be there, you found peace and serenity as the soft notes of the piano broke the silence that surrounded you. Being in an all-girls school was stress enough, but summer was nearing and exams were looming in the shadows. It was habit to try and ignore the stress by escaping to one of the piano rooms.

You heard the doorknob behind you twist and let go quickly. Lifting your fingers off of the keys, you were immersed in silence once more. There was nothing. You figured it was just your mind playing tricks and you continued to fiddle with the keys. The paranoia of someone catching you in the room was already a thought in your head. Getting caught in the music room without a reservation was punishable, but you hadn’t gotten caught yet.

Suddenly feeling uneasy, you held your fingers above the keys. You squinted and your eyes drifted to the side, seeing a reflection of someone standing behind you. Someone was inside.

You quickly turned your head and stifled a scream as he fixed his hand over your mouth. You were pushed back onto the piano, gripping the edge and letting a cacophony of noises from the keys.

“Shhh… please don’t scream.” He whispered, placing his finger over his lips.

You breathed heavily as he withdrew his hand from your mouth.

“You’re not supposed to be in here.” You said, the shock still flowing through your body.

Boys on school property was grounds for being expelled.

“Neither are you. This room is supposed to be empty.” He said, turning his back to you and looking out the small window in a panic.

“Wait, how did you-?”

“I checked the reservation list. Not that hard.” He was once facing you again and you were able to finally get a better look at his face.

His hair was messy and thick. It was dark brown, falling into a sort of side-swept spike. His eyebrows framed his face with concern, and his hazel eyes looked at you pleadingly.

“I need to hide in here… Just for like, ah, 10 minutes.” He said, his eyes scanning the room as you knit your eyebrows. He had a slightly deep accent, that you could not really pinpoint. New Jersey? Boston?

“Why should I let you?” You crossed your arms, releasing your grasp on the keys and they released with a bit more noise.

“Look, either we both get busted or we don’t. Your choice. By the looks of you, you don’t seem like the girl that would handle getting expelled very well.” He said, crouching down and beginning to crawl under the piano.

You scoffed, slightly offended at his statement. Voices could be heard down the hallway as you hurriedly threw the cover over the piano, pulling it downwards so it would hide the boy.

You hushed him as you opened the door and peered down the hallway, the security officers spotting you.

“Is everything alright?” You asked, trying to pull off the innocence charade. You stepped out of the hallway and closed the door behind you.

They approached you and pushed a picture of the boy to your face.

“Have you seen him?” An officer asked.

“I can’t say I have.” You replied, shaking your head and looking up at the officer. You took another glance at the picture. “What’s going on?”

“We caught him with another girl in the utility closet. He ran and we’ve been trying to catch him all morning.” The other officer said, his radio calling out a muffled number in which you could not decipher.

You nodded in understanding. The hallways were silent except for the echo of your voices and the slight buzz of the air conditioner. You noted the picture once more, spotting the name in the corner.

Samuel Morgan.

“I’ll let you know if I see him.” You said, putting your hands in your pockets and looking at both officers reassuringly.

They thanked you and continued down the hallway, checking the other music rooms. You slid back into the doorway and shut it behind you.

“Okay, you’re clear.” You said, getting a response of nothing. Just silence.

You bent down and peeked under the cover, to see no sign of him.

“…what the hell?” You muttered to yourself, standing back up and looking around the room. It was bare and empty, just as it was when you had gotten there.

The day went by and your mind was only blurred by Samuel. The curious side of your mind wondered where he went and how he even got on school grounds in the first place. You told yourself it was just a mishap. You most likely wouldn’t see him again, so why were you worried about him?

You began walking home that night when the unfamiliar, uneasy feeling crept up your body. You turned around and looked underneath the streetlamp, and there he stood.

You gave him a timid wave and he strolled up to you, more composed and calm than the last time you had seen him.

“Hey, I really owe you for saving my skin back there.” Sam started, holding the straps of his backpack.

You shrugged and rolled your eyes.

“Just don’t get caught with another girl in the supply closet again.” You smirked, and Sam shot a worried glance at you. He was questioning as to how you were aware.

Sam stuttered as he tried to make an excuse for himself. You had to admit, it was odd how this boy did not make you feel threatened. Anyone else encountering you in the streets would leave you in a mad dash for safety, but Sam’s soft eyes and calm expression gave you the feeling that you were safe.

He let out a defeated laugh.

“Okay, okay, you got me.” He said, giving you a light push and continuing to walk. You followed him. “Just don’t spread anything about it, alright? I have a reputation to keep.” He joked.

“Oh yeah? Like being the playboy of the school?” You retorted, and he looked to the sky.

You talked with him for what seemed like hours, although you were only a few minutes from home. Sam asked you about your life story, and you asked about his, learning some things that you would have never pictured. He came from an orphanage, St. Francis to be exact, and he had a younger brother. It was just Sam and Nathan in their family. Sam did not speak of his parents. Everything Sam earned was to support Nathan, and he spent after hours working to make money, risking getting caught outside of the orphanage gates.

You didn’t catch on until you had already arrived, but Sam was walking you home. Whether it was to make sure you were safe or if he was just following you was unclear, but you decided to side with Sam caring about you.

“So, Samuel…” You begin to say, before he cuts into your sentence.

“Sam.” He laughed anxiously.

“Okay, Sam... just promise to stay out of trouble?” You said, leaning on your mailbox.

He tilted his head to one side, and then back to the other as if trying to weigh out the consequences of his decisions.

“I’ll try my best.” He nodded softly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “So, until next time?”

“Yeah, until next time.” You said, letting a smile form on your face.

And with that, Sam turned away and broke into a sprint, hopping onto a nearby dumpster and scaling the house to the roof. His silhouette was illuminated by the moonlight when he stopped to look back at you, giving you one more smile and waving two fingers at you. Within seconds, he was gone, and you stared at the rooftop, curious as to who this mysterious boy was and why he waltzed into your life like he did.


	2. The Orphanage

You spent your days off wandering through the hallways of the school or out in the courtyard, reading a book or doodling on your notepad. It had been a few weeks since you had seen, or even heard anything from Sam. The last time you saw him, he was chatting up another girl outside of the science wing, and he waved to you as you walked by.

That was it.

You began to doubt that there would ever be a “next time”.

No matter how much you tried to forget about it, the incident with him hiding in the piano room replayed in your mind. It haunted you. His face, his gestures, his voice, were all engraved in your head. You attempted numerous times to distract yourself, but to no avail. Sam still found a way to sneak into your thoughts.

You considered the possibility of going back into the rehearsal room, with the luck that Sam just might happen to be there. It was outrageous that you were thinking like this, but the effect that Sam had on you in those few hours was one you could not explain.

Night had fallen once more and you had changed into your pajamas. The T.V.’s flickering changed the lighting in your bedroom rapidly, from dark to light to dark again. It was nearing midnight and you figured it was time to go to bed.

You shut the T.V. off, leaving you in silence. The shadows from the trees outside moved across the wall, and you stared at your shadow that was imprinted on it. It was just you and only you.

You crawled into bed and pulled the covers up to your face, trying to adjust your body to a position that was somewhat comfortable. The wind blew against your window, an ominous howl beginning to slice through the once peaceful quiet.

Something hit your window, and you tried to ignore it. Already being spooked as it was, you didn’t need anything else to keep you from sleeping.

Another tap on the window.

You had to talk to yourself.

“It’s just the tree branches.” You said, attempting to close your eyes, but opening them once more as something hit your window again.

You threw the covers off of yourself and sat up. You slid out of bed and opened the window, barely dodging a pebble that flew in and hit your floor. Your eyes followed it and traced its path back to where it came from.

Sam stood on the lawn, waving at you from below.

“What are you doing here?” You hissed, looking back to make sure your door was closed.

“I came here to see you, obviously.” He half-shouted.

You leaned out of the window, looking around to see if he was alone. From what you could see, he was.  
“Why?”

Sam thought for a second.

“Because I- Just come down here!” He said, waving you down.

“I can’t go downstairs; someone will hear me.” You pointed your thumb inside of your bedroom.

“Then jump!” Sam looked at the tree that stood outside of your window.

The tree was old, being on the property as long as you could remember. You used to climb on it when you were smaller, except you climbed on the bigger branches near the bottom. The libs narrowed and became small and brittle towards the top. There was no way you could jump.

“Sam, you know it’s impossible to make that jump!”

“Then I’ll catch you. Trust me, alright?” He said running his hands through his hair and prepping himself for when you jumped.

You gritted your teeth together before taking a deep breath and stepping out onto the windowsill. Sam stood underneath you, arms open as you tried to pick a branch to grab onto.

“Sam, I can’t do this.” You said shakily, the wind picking up and making you feel off balance.

“You can, I got you, okay? Just trust me. You can make it.”

You held your breath as you leapt, trying to grasp onto anything that passed you on the way down. A branch came into your grip and you tightened your fingers around it, causing it to snap.

You were going to hit the ground. It was inevitable. Sam was not going to be able to catch a falling mass that just happened to be your body going at high speeds. He was going to drop you, or not catch you at all, and you were going to die.

Sam let out a strained groan as you landed in his arms, causing him to collapse underneath you out of the sheer force of your fall. His arms were wrapped around you tightly as you opened your eyes to realize you were alive, and not just that, but on top of Sam.

You clumsily crawled off of him and helped him up as he dusted off his shirt.

“See? I caught you.” He said, pressing his hands against his back and adding a small laugh.

“Yeah, after I almost killed you.” Your eyes followed the tree up to where it had broken underneath you. You still had branch fragments in your hand.

Lights came on downstairs and you cursed under your breath, grabbing Sam’s hand and running. You couldn’t get caught. Not outside after hours and with a boy. You would be on lock-down for months, no, years if you were to be spotted.

You pulled him into an alley as you pressed your backs against the hot brick, hearing the door open. Steps walked to the corner, kicking the metal trash bin. You flinched and Sam gripped your hand tighter.

“Stupid raccoons.”

The footsteps walked away and they went inside, slamming the door behind them and shutting off the porch lights, leaving you and Sam in darkness.

“Are you okay?” Sam asked, releasing his breath and stepping away from the wall.

You sighed heavily and nodded, holding your heart. It was beating too rapidly for you to concentrate. You didn’t realize you were still gripping onto Sam’s hand.

“C’mon, let’s go. I gotta show you something.” He said, peeking out of the alley and his hand sliding out of yours. You felt your face begin to burn when you noticed you had been clinging onto his hand, yet he said nothing about it.

You followed him down the street and Sam initiated conversation.

“You ever been to an orphanage?” He asked, cutting a corner and into another alley.

“No, unfortunately I was never given the chance.” You said sarcastically, and Sam chuckled. You were somewhat relieved that he didn’t find it offensive.

Sam climbed the fence that blocked the connecting roads, and jumped onto a fire escape.

“Sam, I don’t think I can-“ You began to say, stopping mid-sentence as he kicked down a ladder.

“You’re welcome.”

You hoisted yourself onto the ladder and climbed up the steps, pulling yourself onto the platform. Sam was leaning on the railing, with his arms crossed.

You both made your way through the inner city, crawling and climbing until you reached the gates of St. Francis. Out of breath and out of energy, Sam noticed how worn out you were.  
“One more roof to climb to, and we’ll be there.” He said, connecting his hands together. “C’mon, I’ll give you a boost.”

You sighed and gathered the rest of your energy and climbed onto Sam’s hands, and he tossed you up. You grabbed onto some bricks that were uneven and reached the rooftop, rolling onto your back.

“I kind of still need to get up there.” Sam called.

You groaned and sat up, looking for something to toss down to him. A rope was conveniently placed on the rooftop and you crawled idly to it. Finding something to tie it to, you tossed the rope down to Sam who was waiting patiently.

“Thank you.” He said, grasping onto the rope and shimmying up to the roof, standing by your side once he reached the top.

Sam continued to walk and you lagged behind. A crow cawed in one of the shadows, making you jump. Sam only chuckled. You looked around at the surrounding city, the lights illuminating the horizon and the night sky.

The St. Francis orphanage had a haunting feel to it, and you caught up to Sam and stood close as he led you through the labyrinth of buildings.

“Why are you taking me here?” You asked, easing yourself onto a lower ledge that Sam had already jumped off of. You slid off of the concrete and landed, attempting to regain your balance.

Sam crept up to a window and hushed you, crouching down underneath the windowsill. You bent down next to him and watched silently as he reached up and knocked on the window in a certain pattern.

A light turned on in the room and a shadow moved across the wall.

“I want you to meet somebody.”


	3. The Boy

You stared at Sam while a shadow of a cloud moved overhead. His face, once illuminated by moonlight, was darkened. The city was starting to fade away for the night, lights being turned off in different buildings. It was the middle of the night. It seemed like it was just you, and Sam, and the little boy crawling out of the window.

Wait.

Your eyes shot up to the leg sticking out across the windowsill. From what you could see, there were two little feet with ripped up socks, and the bottom of his jeans were worn down and stringy. Sam stood up to help him out of the window, picking up the boy and setting him down on the concrete.

His hair was messy like Sam’s. He was small, and thin, and Sam stood tall next to his frail figure.

“I want you meet Nathan. My little brother.” Sam said, placing his hand on Nathan’s head and ruffling his hair. Nathan laughed and swatted at Sam’s arms.

“Hello, Nathan.” You smiled, and his lips quirked upward as he gave you a shy wave.

Nathan looked up to Sam as his eyebrows sank.

“Sam, when are you off of suspension?” He asked, and Sam furrowed his brows.

You noticed the instant Sam began to change. He laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“I’ll be back soon. Just a little longer, alright?” He said.

Nathan nodded and looked to the ground, putting his hands in his pockets.

Sam shot a worried glance at you. You had no idea what Nathan meant, and Sam’s response wasn’t helpful either.

Your eye caught a reflection from across the orphanage. It was a flashlight, shining down a hallway.

“Uh, guys?” You said, your voice shaken as he turned his head.

“Ah, shit…” He mumbled, motioning Nathan towards the window. “Get back inside. I’ll be back later tonight.”

Nathan hurried back inside and shut the window behind him, locking you both out. The lamp turned off and Sam took your hand, running down the rooftop as you heard someone messing with the window once more.

Sam crouched down and you landed next to him.

“Sam, what was that all about?” You whispered, and he put his fingers over his mouth.

“I’ll tell you later.”

“I’m serious. Why did you get all… weird?”

This time he was blatantly ignoring you.

“Sam-“ You insisted, putting your hand on his shoulder.

Sam grabbed your wrist and stared at you. His face was cold, not the usual smiling, calm expression he usually carried himself with.

“We’ll talk about it later.” He said, looking at his grip around your wrist and quickly letting go.

It scared you. For the little time you had known Sam, you had never seen him like that. Not harsh and aggressive. That wasn’t Sam.

You stood where you were, frozen in what you were pretty sure was fear. Sam had turned his back to you and began walking, but you couldn’t move. He finally realized you were not trailing behind him.

You found your footing and began to walk forward. You were beginning to regret jumping out of the window, regretting even opening the window to Sam. He watched you as you walked by, following you in silence when he noticed you did not make eye contact with him.

The walk home was long and awkward. You both had tried to start speaking, but words did not decide to come out. You finally decided to stop and talk.

Sam halted behind you, almost running into you as you turned around.

“So, what happened?” You asked, crossing your arms. The subject alone made you antsy.

“What are you talking about?”

“With Nathan. _Suspension_?”

Sam pressed his lips together and shook his head, looking away from you.

“Sam, you can’t get suspended from an orphanage.” You said, leaning into his sight.

“I, uh,-“ Sam’s sentence trailed off as he rubbed his face. “I was going to tell you this, but-“

“Now is a better time than ever.” You said, tilting your head.

“I was, ah, kicked out of St. Francis.” He said, avoiding eye contact with you as he spoke.

You felt as if your tenseness was lifted off of you almost immediately. You were unsure of what you just heard.

“Kicked out?” The words came out almost like a whisper.

“Yeah.” Sam nodded, chewing on the bottom of his lip.

You had to stop yourself for a moment to think. Sam was digging his heel into the pavement as you tried to comprehend the situation.

“You lied? To Nathan?” The words came out harsher than you expected.

“He doesn’t need to know.” Sam said, his voice low and gritty. You had hit a nerve.

“He deserves to know!” Your voice raised a little.

“You don’t understand! You don’t understand what he has been through, what I have been through, what we have been through!” Sam snapped, causing you to go silent. Sam sighed heavily trying to speak. “He’s just a kid. All the shit we’ve been through in our lives, he doesn’t need the pressure of this too.”

You watched Sam’s face as he spoke, his eyes becoming glossy. Your eyes traced to the ground.

“I’m sorry.” You said, and Sam did not lift his head, yet he looked at you. “I should probably just go home. It’s late.”

“Yeah.”

You glanced at Sam one more time whose head was turned away from you. You began the short walk home, which felt like miles. Your mind wasn’t thinking of ways to get back inside the house, but instead thinking of Nathan, of Sam, and of their lives.

It was impossible for two boys to be able to make it on their own, even with the help of an orphanage. Sam needed Nathan, and Nathan needed Sam, and their separation would hurt them more than physical wounds. They needed help, and you were not going to let them fight this battle alone.


	4. The Girl

Visits to Nathan at the orphanage were common for you once summer had started. You would stop by the library and bring him a new book, or if you were quick enough, some ice cream from the shop down the street. Nathan always seemed excited to see you, and the both of you had bonded quickly after the first couple of visits. It was worth seeing the smile on his face when you knocked on his window. You had yet to see Sam, however. After the night where you and Sam had argued, it seemed as if you both split paths. You did not seem to come across him at the orphanage, around town, or anywhere.

Fortunately, Nathan talked about him. It was a source of relief when Nathan would tell you that Sam had visited the night before, or earlier that week. Nathan was the only one keeping you aware of Sam’s whereabouts and his wellbeing.

You hoisted yourself onto the roof of the orphanage, holding tightly onto the new book you had rented for him. You felt like you were more excited for Nathan than he would be. He felt like the sibling you never had, and honestly, you enjoyed looking out for him.

A couple of knocks on the window and Nathan slid it open, crawling out on to the roof. He was wearing a shirt that was too big for him.

You pulled Nathan into a hug and he laughed, giving you a small squeeze.

“I brought you something.” You said, pulling out the book from behind Nathan.

His smile faded as his eyes landed on the book.

“Oh.” He said, attempting to sound interested but he failed.

“Oh?” You repeated, letting go of the book as Nathan took it.

Nathan opened up the book and flipped through the pages before shutting it and flicking his eyes up to yours.

“It’s just that, Sam got this one for me yesterday.” He said.

You mouthed the word ‘oh’ as he handed the book back to you.

“Sorry.” Nathan apologized, giving you a weak smile.

You shook your head.

“Nah, don’t apologize. I didn’t know.” You said, sitting down on the concrete. Nathan placed himself next to you.

“So what has been going on?” You asked. “Anything happen while I’ve been gone?”

You made sure to ask Nathan about how things have been. He lit up whenever he got to talk about the things he liked, or about exciting things that happened in the orphanage. You enjoyed hearing about it as well, and the look on his face was enough reason to ask.

Nathan thought for a few seconds, recollecting the memories of the past week.

“Sister Catherine got caught smoking again.” Nathan said, letting a small giggle escape.

“For the second time? Geez, you would think she would learn.” You said, smiling. “

And Sam came last night.” He said. “He brought me some stuff.”

“Oh, really?” You asked, leaning back on your arms. “What did he get you?”

“He got me some new shoes. And socks. Plus the book.” He said, looking at his socks which had already been dirtied from walking around the orphanage.

In all honesty, you were impressed. The amount of care that Sam put into Nate was unmeasurable. You had noticed the amount of Sam’s clothes that Nathan had, from the oversized jackets to the t-shirts. It was Sam’s main priority to make sure Nathan was happy and healthy.

“What is Sam up to?” You asked.

“He got moved to another wing so I don’t see him much. But he comes to the window a lot with things.” Nathan said, messing with the loose strings on his shirt.

You nodded, biting back the fact that Sam had still not gotten the courage to tell Nathan about being kicked out.

“He talks about you a lot.” Nathan broke your focus.

You turned your head to Nathan, furrowing your brows.

“Me?”

Nathan nodded.

“What do you mean?” You were surprised even after the spat that Sam would be talking about you. Whether it was bad-mouthing or compliments, you were curious to find out.

“He’s glad you’re here, and helping out.” Nathan said. “He really likes you.” You stayed silent as your fingers gripped the book you were holding onto tightly. You weren’t going to argue that you didn’t like Sam at least a little. He was nice to you, good looking, and it wasn’t hard to develop a small crush on him.

“Huh.” You let out a small laugh. You weren’t aware of how awkward the situation became until you cleared your mind and listened to the silence around you.

“Nathan, I think I’m going to head home. You’ll be alright?” You asked, picking yourself off of the ground and wiping off your shorts.

“As always.” Nathan responded, standing up next to you and giving you a small smile.

You pulled him into another hug before letting go and sending Nathan off back into the orphanage.

As you were walking home, you saw Sam from across the street. Your face burned a little, with Nathan’s words repeating in your head.

_He likes you._

You tried to keep your head down.

 _He likes you_.

Sam spotted you.

_He likes you._

Sam started walking across the street.

_He likes you._

“Hey.”

His voice stopped you in your tracks.

“Oh, hey!” You said, turning around a plastering a smile on your face.

Sam cleared his throat as he tried to think of something to say.

“How have you been?”

“Good, I just got back from visiting Nathan.” You said, lifting up the book that you were holding by your side. “Turns out you already got this one for him.”

Sam laughed, and shook his head.

“The kid reads books faster than people can write them.” He said, pausing after his sentence. You gave him a small smile.

Sam always found an opportunity to make awkward silences.

“I, ah, just want to apologize for what happened. I never meant to snap like that. It’s just that, Nathan, -“ he rambled, and you shook your head.

“Sam, it’s fine.” You said. Sam let out a sigh of relief.

Another pause.

You pressed your lips together, really fighting the urge to say goodbye and get home. Things were getting too awkward to bare.

“Oh, I also wanted to ask you something.” He said, pulling your attention back to him.

“Yeah?”

“Would you want to –“ Sam was cut off by a voice shouting his name from across the street.

“Sam!”

He turned to her as she embraced him with a hug and kiss on the cheek.

“Tell me where you’re going next time!” She said, forcing herself into his side. She took his arm and put it around her.

Sam shot you an apologetic look as she scanned you, head to toe.

“Who’s this?” She asked.

“Ah, this is Y/N, she’s a friend of mine.” He said, and you shifted uncomfortably. He introduced her to you as well. “This is my girlfriend, Crystal.”

You nodded and gave her a fake smile.

“Nice to meet you.” You said, pulling the book up to your chest.

Crystal didn’t respond. Instead she was playing with her hair with one hand, and holding Sam’s side with the other.

“Well, I’ll see you guys. I have to get home.” You said, your eyes going from Crystal to Sam. He looked like he was needing to tell you something, but you had already turned off and began walking.

Only then did the feelings begin to sting you. You bit the inside of your cheek as you fought the emotions. You wondered what Nathan even meant by, ‘he likes you.’ It must have been pretty platonic if he was willing to shove Crystal in your face.

The entire walk home, you were beating yourself up. You couldn’t pinpoint the real reason. It’s not like you wanted Sam. It was only a small stupid crush on a small stupid boy. It didn’t mean anything. You didn’t have real feelings for him.

You unlocked the front door and moved up to your room in silence, crashing onto the bed. You couldn’t cry although you wanted to. Sam wasn’t worth the tears. Or at least, that is what you wanted to tell yourself.

You waited the entire night for the pebbles at your window. You wanted to open the blinds to see Sam standing below your window again, calling for you to go on another late night adventure. The only sounds you heard that night were the murmurs of your T.V. You fell asleep to silence after you had turned it off, and for once in your life, the silence was haunting. The silence was uncomfortable. The silence was filling the empty space in your mind, the space where Sam should have been.


	5. The Fair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is 100% fluff, not gonna lie. Something lighthearted for what is to come.

     The waves crashed against the pillars of the pier, occasionally sending the burst of sea breeze into your face. You dangled your legs over the edge, listening to the ambient noise of the fair behind you. It was the end of summer.

     Like the rest of the school kids, you were sucked into the pressure of making last minute memories with your friends. At least what you _called_ your friends. They had invited you to the summer fair. You were hesitant at first, the idea making you uneasy. It had been an entire summer since you had last seen Sam and Crystal, and a few weeks since you had last visited Nathan at the orphanage. You were afraid of running into Sam after your last encounter, accidentally bumping into the both of them making out outside of the ice cream shop. Sam didn’t acknowledge you.

     The fair was fun while it lasted, until your friends began to bring up memories that you were not there for. They laughed and talked about homecoming and prom, both of which you were locked away in a piano room, messing with the keys in an emotionally unstable daze.

     They did not notice that you were there.

     They did not seem to notice that that you were walking next to them.

     They did not see you walk away.

     So, now here you were, on the edge of the pier, letting the wind blow your hair and inhaling the salty air. The mixed sounds of the water, the fair, and the muted conversations all hid the footsteps approaching you from behind.

     “You’re not supposed to be back here.”

     The voice made you jump, and you fell forward, feeling a pair of hands grab you from behind.

     “I gotcha.”

     They pulled you back up and you felt like you couldn’t breathe. It was Sam.

     You wanted to turn around, but before you could, he swung his legs over the pier too.

     “Hey.” He said, looking over at you and giving you his goofy smile.

     You glanced at him from the corner of your eye. God, you missed him. You missed his face, missed his voice, missed _him_.

     “Hi.” You said, trying to hide your smile.

     “What are you doing back here by yourself?” Sam asked, leaning back on his hands.

     You swung your legs back and forth, letting the water splash your feet.

     “Just… hanging out.”  You said.

     It was weird to you how Sam was alone as well. Usually the summer fair was a place for young couples to gather and groups of friends to hang out.

     “Hanging out, eh?” Sam repeated, looking up to the sky. “Doesn’t seem       very fun to be hanging out alone.”

     “I should be saying the same to you.” You said, turning your head to Sam. “Where is Crystal?”

     Sam went quiet. You pressed your lips together, immediately knowing you hit a nerve.

     “Ah, she dumped me.” Sam said, giving a guilty smirk. He was staring out over the water and the moonlight hit him, his hair casting a shadow over his face.

     You were trying to think of something to say.

     “Oh… I’m sorry.” You said, leaning forward and folding your hands in between your knees.

     “Nah, it’s fine. Who needs a girlfriend anyways?” He said, shrugging.

     The words stung a little, even though you had made a promise to yourself to not fall for Sam anymore. You knew in a few days, he would most likely be flirting with another girl, or be back with Crystal again.

     You gave him a nervous laugh.

     “Yeah.”

     The ripples in the water made the moon uneven, and you looked up to see it’s round full shape. The stars were peeking out of the night sky, flickering to show themselves.

     “Plus, I have you and Nathan, and that’s all I need.” Sam said, throwing his arm around you and messing with your hair.

     “Me and Nathan?” You laughed, swatting away his hand. Sam laughed with you.

     “Yeah, my best friend and my little brother.”

     Your laugh faded into a sigh as you absorbed Sam’s words. Best friend? Sam thought of you as his best friend? The title was somewhat relieving that you were important to Sam, but a small part of you wished you were more.

     Sam’s hand rested behind your back and your eyes traced to his legs that were pulling back onto the pier. He began to stand up and held his hand out for you.

     “Whaddya say we go enjoy the fair?”

     You took his hand and he hoisted you up, giving you two small pats on the back. You walked beside Sam as he made his way through the booths, pointing out small prizes and the giant teddy bears that hung in the back of the booth.

     He walked up to the milk jug booth, tossing a couple of dollars onto the table. The worker gave each of you three rubber balls, and moved out of the way.

     “Watch this.” Sam said, rearing his hand back and throwing it towards the jugs. He missed and you stifled your giggles. Sam threw another ball and missed once more, and by now, your laughs couldn’t be held back.

     “Stop laughing at me, I’m just warming up!” Sam said, closing one eye and aiming at the middle. “This is gonna be the winning SHOT!” he said, throwing the ball. It flew towards the bottles and knocked off the top one, and Sam crossed his arms with pride.

     “See that?” He said, walking to your side.

     You nodded, pretending to be impressed, and turned to the milk bottles, tossing a ball and missing horribly. Sam tried to hide a laugh which came out as a snort.

     You laughed and pushed him, this time hurling a ball at full speed at the bottles, knocking the center and making the milk jug tower collapse. Sam stared at the empty space where three bottles stood with a look of shock. His eyes turned to you.

     “Winning shot, huh?” You said, bumping his side with your elbow.

     Sam had to close his mouth and take his eyes off of you. He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck as you picked out your prize.

     “Nice arm.” He said as you returned to his side.

     “Thanks.” You said, shoving the giant stuffed bear in his face.

     Sam laughed and pushed it away.

     “So, do you think Teddy here has ever been on a ferris wheel?” He asked, poking the bears nose and leaning out of the way to see your face.

    “I don’t know; why don’t we take him to find out?” You said, tucking the bear under your arm and smiling at Sam.

     You both made your way to the ferris wheel, and got in a car that was passing you. You set the bear on the opposite side of you and Sam scooted in next to you.

     He was close to you. You could feel the warmth from his skin against your arm, and his leg was touching yours. It gave you chills.

     The car began to rise and you looked out over the water, seeing the people beneath you getting smaller. You turned to look at Sam, who was peering over the edge.

     “Everyone is so small.” He said, and you agreed with his statement. “Perspective is weird, isn’t it?”

     “Yeah.” You said, looking out over the edge as you heard Sam move. You were nearing the top.

     “I mean, everyone down there is so tiny, and then here we are, normal sized and all.” He said.

     You let out a snicker.

     “ _Normal_ sized?” You echoed, and Sam’s eyes connected with yours.

     He furrowed his eyebrows at you and smirked.

     “You know what I meant.” He said, poking you in the side.

     “Yeah, sure.” You said, mimicking his expression.

      “It’s funny how with the two of us in this car-“ Sam started, but you interrupted.

     “Ah-ah, _three_.” You said, pointing to the bear sitting across from you.

     Sam rolled his eyes.

     “But we could keep going up and up, and eventually everyone would just… disappear. They would still be there, but we wouldn’t be able to see them. It would be just… us.” He said, his words become slower as his eyes scanned your face.

     You noticed Sam glance down to your lips and you felt your face flush. His eyes were glued back to yours and you couldn’t look away. You heart was racing. You knew what Sam wanted to do. He knew what you wanted to do. It was dependent on who made the first move.

     You were frozen in place as Sam leaned closer and closed his eyes, and you looked down at his lips before you closed yours as well. A burst of energy flowed through you when his lips touched yours, and you felt his hand against your cheek. It was warm. His hair brushed your forehead and you touched the back of his hand with your palm.

     Before you knew it, the moment was over. Sam pulled away and your lips felt bare, and you opened your eyes to see him staring at you once more. You both laughed nervously, as he pushed a strand of hair out of your face and you looked down.

     “What is it?” Sam said, his voice filled with concern.

     “Do you think he saw?” You said, glancing over to the teddy bear.

     Sam laughed and shook his head.

     “He’ll be fine.” Sam said, pulling you close and putting his arm around you.

     You both let out a sigh of content as you reached the top, and for once, it did feel like it was just you and Sam. You thought back to what he said earlier, and wondered if he was serious about his girlfriend statement. Sam leaned his head on yours, taking away the thoughts and leaving you in a daze. It was all perfect.

     For now.


	6. The Job

     The bell rang, dismissing class for the day and all of the students gathered their books. You began to pack your things and threw everything into your backpack, zipping it up and swinging it around your shoulder.

     The hallways were empty by the time you exited the classroom, with only a few scattered girls who were staying after school for tutoring or soccer practice. You passed them silently, heading towards the front of the school. Your footsteps echoed on the tile floor.

     You opened the door and stepped out into the hot and humid air. You couldn’t wait to get home. You hurried down the front steps, taking a small jump off of the last step and landing on the pavement in front of you. You turned sharply the corner, bumping into Sam, who was waiting for you outside of the school.

     “What are you doing here?” You smiled, looking him up and down.

     “I can’t come to see you after school?” He said, continuing to walk by your side.

     “I mean…” You shrugged, laughing as Sam scoffed and gave you a soft bump with his side.

     Since school has started, you were impressed at how much Sam has straightened out. After numerous times of getting onto him, he finally told Nathan about getting kicked out of St. Francis. You could recall Nathan’s reaction, a painful silence as his eyes began to well up. Sam immediately went into protective brother mode, taking Nathan into his arms. He promised things would be fine, and that he would still visit, this time more frequently than he has been.

     Sam also got a job. He worked for a small supermarket downtown, being a bagger boy and helping customers take their groceries out to their cars. He collected tips from them, along with a small paycheck that came every week. He would use the money to buy Nathan new clothes when he needed and small gifts throughout the weeks. Sam also slipped some of his paycheck to get the both of you ice cream whenever you hung out, always insisting on paying for you.

     The night at the fair put a pressure on your relationship. The both of you had yet to confess your feelings for each other, although it was apparent. After that night, the both of you returned to your normal state of friendship, teasing and making fun of each other like you used to. Every now and then, Sam would grab your hand and begin to hold it before realizing that you weren’t dating. It got awkward sometimes, but it still didn’t stop you from being as close as you two were.

     All in all, things were starting to fall into place. Sam and Nathan’s lives have improved since you came into the picture, and they couldn’t seem happier.

     Sam walked you home, stopping you at the mailbox. Usually he watched while you walked inside, but stopping you before you got indoors was odd. He held your wrist softly as you looked down as his hand, flicking your eyes to his with concern.

     “I gotta tell you something.”

     “What is it?” You asked, and Sam shifted his feet.

     “I got a new job.” He said, breathing in slightly.

     You looked at him questioningly, raising one of your eyebrows. You knew he had a job, but did they fire him? Is he working two jobs now? Does he need more help taking care of Nathan if he is working another job? Your mind was buzzing, and you were looking over Sam’s shoulder before he waved his hand in front of you, catching your attention.

     “A new job? What happened to the other one?” You asked, shaking you head.

     “I had to quit.” He said, giving your hand a slight squeeze when he saw the change in your eyes, which went from confused to disappointment. “I wasn’t making enough to take care of Nathan, let alone myself.” Sam added.

     “What about me? I’m here to help you too!” You said, pulling your arm away from his hand and folding your arms together.

     “Please, just hear me out, okay?” Sam begged, and you nodded your head for him to continue.

     “Alright, go ahead.”

     “This new job, it’s hard to explain.” He said, beginning to rub his fingers together, trying to think. “I have this client; he is paying me a lot of money to find something for him.” He said, studying your face to look for a change in your expression. There was none.

     “I’m going to have to go away for a bit, but when I come back, I’ll be able to get Nathan out of the orphanage and we’ll be able to go wherever we want and—“ You cut Sam off.

     “Woah, woah, wait.” You said, your hands moving to your hips and you leaned forward. “Where are you going?”

     Sam pursed his lip and looked away from you, like a guilty puppy. He was acting if he pretended not to hear you, you might forget about it. Nice try.

     “Sam.” You insisted, your voice dropping and his eyes connected with yours once more. “Where?”

     “Columbia.” He said quietly.

     You had to process it.

     “… Columbia?” You repeated, the word breaking as you spoke. “Like, Central America?”

     You knew the answer, but you wanted it to not be true. Columbia was too far away, too dangerous, too terrifying for you to even think about it. Sam was a teenager. He was too young for a job like this, let alone traveling by himself to a country hundreds of miles away.

     “Yeah.” Sam whispered, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I know it’s super sudden but, you needed to know.”

     Your eyes traced to the ground, batting back and forth, trying to focus on something else besides Sam.

     “Sam, don’t do it.” You said, stepping closer to him and looking back up at him.

     “I have to.” He held your arms.

     “I’ll work too; I’ll help you with Nathan.”

     “This is for the best.” Sam said, keeping his voice calm against yours.

     “You’re going to get yourself killed!” You half-shouted, feeling like you were about to collapse. Your knees were getting weak, your eyes were getting blurry, and you felt as if you were breathing through a straw. This couldn’t be real. “It’s suicide!”

     “I’ll be back before you know it.”

     You stayed silent, a flood of words wanting to come out of your mouth, but once you opened it, there was nothing. No words could explain the frustration and the fear you were feeling. You wanted to ask how long he would be gone, but honestly, you did not want to know.

     “What does your client want, anyways?” You asked, rubbing the side of your face. Reality felt like it was slipping from you.

     You could tell Sam was debating on telling you. He paused for a moment before reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a small slip of paper.

     It was weathered and yellowed, and looked like it could disintegrate at any moment. Sam unfolded it carefully, opening up to a drawing of…

     You couldn’t tell what it was.

     It was round and looked like there were patterns drawn onto it.

     “What is this?” You asked,

     “Sir Francis Drake, you know him?”

     You shook your head.

     “He was one of the best privateers in the world, knighted by Queen Elizabeth herself and this is going to show us... everything.” He said, turning the paper in his hands.

     “You mean your client?” You said, as Sam’s daze was interrupted.

     “Yeah.”

     As the silence crept over the both of you, you realized once more how stupid Sam was being for taking the job. There were many other options, getting a second job, asking you for help, finding a job that actually pays decently. But he didn’t. Instead, he chose a job that could kill him. He chose a job that could endanger his own life, while he was blindly taking it to protect Nathan.

     “When do you leave?” You said, your voice shattering the silence.

     “In a few weeks.” Sam said softly, folding up the paper and putting back into his pocket.

     You clenched your teeth and nodded, your head dropping down.

     “Sam, promise me something.” You said, taking his hands into yours. “Stay alive. Please.”

     Sam gave you a small laugh.

     “Hey, haven’t you heard that song?” He said, giving your hands a small squeeze. “Only the good die young.”

     You told him to let Nathan know about the job, and that you would be visiting more in Sam’s absence. You told him to stay safe, and that you would see him again before he left. Sam gave you a hug before you went inside, one of the only times he has ever hugged you, and you watched as he walked down the street and turned the corner.

     That night, you crawled into bed with your walkman tucked in next to you. You had rummaged through the old CD collection downstairs and found the old, dusty Billy Joel CD that had been sitting through the years. You snuck it upstairs, cracking open the case and placing the disk inside and closing the player. You nestled the headphones over your ears and pressed play as you pulled the covers over you, the piano introduction chiming through your ears.

_I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints._

_The sinners are much more fun._

_You know that only the good die young._


	7. The Storm

_Mutual trust._

_That’s what it came down to. The relationship between you and Sam depended on mutual trust, since the moment that the both of you met. You were both escaping, you from reality, and Sam from trouble._

_You constantly ask yourself why you did not scream. You wondered why you hid him from the guards, and why you let him walk you home that night. You still don’t understand the level of understanding you both reached for each other, and why you could trust him with your life._

_You were both two kids looking for help. You did not know it until he introduced you to Nathan, and only then did you see the silent shouts for help. He needed you, just as much as you needed him._

_Sam was an escape. His face, his smile, his mannerisms showed you that there were other escapes than isolation. He showed you he cared, and most importantly, cared about you._

_Nathan and Sam needed your support just as much as you needed to give it. Becoming a guardian for Nathan gave you a sense of responsibility that you never had, a sense of purpose. Sam gave that to you, too._

_He appreciated you and before Sam, you couldn’t recall a time you have ever felt like you mattered. Nathan made you feel like you were important._

_You needed those boys in your life._

     The lightning streaked through the sky and thunder boomed from within the city. The clouds covered the glow of the moon, leaving you in darkness as you sprinted through puddles, your shoes becoming wet with every step. The rain pelted your face, mixing in with the tears that ran down your face.

     Your feet took you as fast as they could to the front door. Panic filled your veins, pumped through your heart, made your pulse race and your blood run cold. You turned the corner and ran up the dimly lit steps of the orphanage, banging on the rotting wooden doors.

     All you wanted to do was visit Nathan. You wanted to bring him a book, give him a hug, and hear him talk about his day. You didn’t ask to come to an empty room, all of Nathan’s things gone, and to come to no sign of him.

     A shadow moved across the wall as your pounds on the door became weaker, the adrenaline fading. The door creaked when Sister Catherine opened the door, peeking from behind the wood.

     “How may I help you?” She asked, shielding herself behind the door.

     “Nathan…” You breathed, choking as you spoke. “Nathan Morgan… where is he?” You pressed your hand against your forehead.

     Sister Catherine shot you a concerned glance as she opened the door a little wider.

     “Who are you?” She asked, squinting and getting a clearer look of your face.

     “I’m a family friend.” You said, noticing how Sister Catherine’s eyebrows knotted together in what you think was sadness.

     She stayed silent as her expression turned into one you were very familiar with. Grief.

     “Nathan, he went missing about a week ago.” She said, letting go of the door handle and folding her hands in front of her.

     “No…” You whispered. “No, where is he?” You demanded, slamming your hand on the door. Lightning flashed behind you and a boom echoed, making Sister Catherine flinch.

     “The police have been looking for him all week.” She said, reaching to put her hand on your shoulder, but you avoided her contact.

     You turned away, saying no other words to her, and ran. You fell down the steps, your vision obscured by panic and tears.

     Main Street. You had to go to Main Street, to the police station.

     You got back on your feet and grabbed onto a light post, looking down the street. Letting go, you sprinted, running as fast as your body was able.

     Stumbling over your feet, you flung open the doors and made your way up to the front desk, catching the officer off guard. Your damp shoes squeaked on the tile floors and your clothes were dripping with rainwater.

     “Nathan Morgan, what have you found on the case?” You started, your fists landing on the counter.

     “Pardon?” He asked, sitting up and straightening his hat.

     “Missing persons’ case, Nathan Morgan, from St. Francis orphanage, little kid, disappeared last week?” You rambled, hitting your hand repeatedly on the desk. The officer grabbed your hand with force, pinning it to the marble.

     “Ma’am, please calm down.” He said, and you closed your mouth, glaring at him.

     “Where is he? Why aren’t you out looking for him?” You shouted, struggling to get your hand out from under the officer’s grip.

     “We cannot release any information.” The officer said, putting more force against your wrist. The marble was cold against your hand.

     This was your breaking point. The tears began to fall as you sobbed, slamming your other fist against the desk and your head landed on your arm. Nathan couldn’t be gone. You had only seen him a couple of weeks ago, right after when Sam told you about his job. Nathan was the only thing you had left, Sam had vanished without a goodbye, and now Nathan was ripped from your fingertips.

     The officer patted your back as you cried. A few other backup officers heard the commotion, and exited their offices, standing in front of the desk.

     “So you’re just giving up?” You said through tears, pushing your hair out of your face. “Another cold case that will never get solved?”

     “We have no leads as of now.” The officer said, pushing a box of tissues in your direction. You shoved them away.

     “He is just a kid! An orphan! How heartless can you all be?” You shouted, your voice shrill and breaking. The officers

     “How about we take you home?” A female officer said, taking you gently by the arm. You were glaring at the other officers in the building as she escorted you out.

     She sat you down on the steps and pushed her blonde hair behind her ears as she squatted down next to you.

     “Hey, don’t forget you’re just a kid yourself.” She said, her hand dropping in between her legs. “It’s our job to protect everybody, and I’m sorry we had to put his case on the back burner, but there were others who needed help too. We still don’t have enough leads. I promise you we are still trying to look for him.” She said, her voice soothing against your rage and frustration.

     She stood back up and helped you gain your footing, opening the door to her patrol car and holding it while you scooted inside the back. She shut the door and walked around to the front, getting into the car and starting it up.

     “Where do you live?” She asked, and you gave her the address. That was the last thing you said to her.

     The lights of the city passed you as you leaned your head on the window. Your throat hurt, your eyes stung, and your hand was beginning to bruise on the side from how much you pounded on the doors and desks. You were tired, you felt empty, and once more, you needed an escape.

     The piano room sounded like a nice place to be as you stepped out of the police car, and up onto the front porch. The thought of having the piano keys sing to you soothed you to the point where you could make it up the stairs to your room.

     The door squeaked as you opened it, and you were ready to grab the walkman once more and listen to music to fall asleep. You fell onto your bed, not noticing the envelope until it crinkled under your back.

     You shot up, reaching behind you and taking the letter from the bed. It sat in your hands, and you noticed your name written in the corner. It was neat handwriting, and you realized it wasn’t any of your relatives or friends.

     You ripped open the envelope, taking out the folded up piece of stationary that was settled inside. Unfolding it, your eyes scanned the words so quickly and you bit your lip as you read.

_“Y/N,_

_I don’t know when this is going to reach you, or if it ever will._

_Nathan and I are here in Columbia, safe and sound. We got in to some trouble before we left. Long story short, we found our mom’s stuff, and went to take it back. Cops came, and we ran. If they were able to identify any part of us, they are going to be looking for us. He had to leave the orphanage. I hope this letter gets to you in time so you don’t have to worry, but if you do, just trust me that he is safe._

_We found something you would not believe. In our mom’s journals, she has been tracking one of the most notorious pirates in history. She was on the trail of all of his lost treasure. Could you imagine how much treasure that would be?_

_I will be on the search for Sir Francis Drake’s artifacts tomorrow, so the job is going to be over before it even started. Don’t you worry, I’ll be back soon._

_Samuel Drake”_


	8. The Accident

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three Years Later

**_Three Years Later_ **

                The sleepy empty streets of the early morning made you yawn as you made your way to work. You shoved your hands into your jacket pockets, the cold nipping at your fingertips. You could see your breath hanging in the air, letting the crisp sharp air enter your lungs. Your nose was red from the temperature and you sighed with relief once you reached the steps of the small coffee shop downtown.

                You adjusted your hat on your head when you finally got inside, the warmth of the building already beginning to thaw your frozen fingers.

                It had been three years. Three long years since you had started coming to this coffee shop every morning before work, mainly to stop and see the cute barista that seemed to have interest in you.

                “Hey, Evan!” You called from the front counter, seeing him pop his head out of the back utility closet.

                “Oh, hey!” He said, glancing at you and turning back to the paper towels tumbling down at him.

                You held back a laugh as you ran to help him out.

                “Rough morning?” You asked, picking the paper towels off of his face and bundling them into your arms.

                “Was until you got here.” He said, and you tried to hide the redness in your face.

                To put it plainly, Evan was a flirt. He was 22, and you were 20. Since the first day you came to the shop three years ago, he threw out pick-up lines and anything he could say to make you flustered. You admired the attention he gave you, and you were trained to tease back with witty banter.

                You were not going to lie. Evan was cute. He was a little taller than you were, and had a smile that could light up even the darkest of days. He was tan, his olive skin standing out against the white walls of the shop. His dimples and bright eyes made you feel something that you haven’t felt since—

                “So is it going to be the usual, again?” Evan asked, stuffing the towels and cleaning products back into the closet.

                “How did you guess?” You said, following him back to the counter and pulling out your wallet.

                Evan noticed you reaching for your money, and shook his head.

                “Nah, I got you covered for today.” He said, ringing up your drink and faking out the register.

                “Are you sure?” You asked, pulling out bills anyways. “Because I can pa-“

                “I’m sure. Plus, how else can I thank you for being my best customer for 3 years?” He said, and you folded the money back into your wallet.

                “You remembered, huh?” You said, setting your elbows on the counter and putting your head in your hands.

                “Of course. How could I forget?” Evan said loudly over the coffee grinder.

                You tilted your head and nodded, noting the way he worked on making your drink. A moment of content silence washed over you as you admired his focus.

                “Alright, here you go!” He said, sliding the drink over to you.

                You looked down at the foam art he made for you, a small brown heart lying amongst the white foam on top of your drink. It made you smile.

                “Thank you!” You said, “I’ll be back tomorrow morning!”

                “I look forward to it.” Evan said, winking at you as you turned around.

                When you finally got into the office and sat down at your desk, your phone vibrated in your pocket.

                **What are you doing tonight?**

                Evan had texted you and you thought about your reply for a few seconds before typing back.

                **I don’t have anything planned, why?**

Getting back to work, you began clicking on your computer, entering data into spreadsheets and replying to emails.

                You phone buzzed again.

                **Dinner? The Mirage?**

You stared at your screen blankly. Evan just asked you to dinner. After years of constant flirting and teasing, he finally asked you.

                **Alright, meet you there?**

You were trying to keep calm, but your hands were shaking this was the first time you had talked to someone and developed feelings for someone since—

                **See you there. ;)**

You put your phone down and tried to focus, but all of your attention was on Evan. You wondered what to wear, how much you should dress up, if you should purposely make yourself look good and jaw-dropping, or if you should just see if it was a casual outing.

                The rest of the workday was blurry, considering your constant distraction. The day was done and over with, and you braced yourself before walking in the cold once more. The streets were much busier with nightlife and people coming and going, so you stayed out of their way. You just had to get home and get ready for dinner.

                You opened the door to your small apartment and closed it behind you, leaning on the doorframe. You had a few hours to spare, might as well make yourself look decent.

                In and out of the shower, you were drying your hair when you suddenly felt uneasy. The pressure of going out was finally hitting you, and you had to take a moment to sit down and collect your composure.

                You slipped on a dress and turned around in front of your mirror. The Mirage was a fancy restaurant, almost too fancy for any of the clothes you owned, but you figured a simple black dress would suffice.

                Final touches on your outfit and you headed towards the door, grabbing your bag before finally stepping out onto the street. You quickly ran to your car to avoid the cold, grabbing your jacket from the back seat and pulling it on hastily.

**I’m on my way!**

You put your phone in the passenger seat and turned on the car, rubbing your hands together to try and get warmth circulating through your body once more.

                “Jesus…” You huffed to yourself, putting the car in reverse and pulling out of the driveway.

                Your phone buzzed and you ignored it, knowing it was most likely Evan just replying to your message.

                You drove along the highway, the small tower behind the Mirage beginning to peak over the hills. A vibration came from the passenger seat once more and you ignored it again, wondering why Evan was texting you so much. He could wait, you were almost there. You stopped at a red light and flicked on your left blinker, tapping your foot impatiently as the radio DJ spoke.

                _“Another one of our greatest throwback hits by the one and only Billy Joel, ‘Only The Good Die Young’…”_

The piano chimed inside of the car and you wanted to flip the channel. You just could not convince your hands to move, and the lyrics began to flow.

                _You might have heard I run with a dangerous crowd…_

                You began to think of Sam.

_We ain’t too pretty we ain’t too proud…_

This was the only song that made you think of Sam.

_We might be laughing a bit too loud…_

This song made you miss Sam.

_Aw, but that never hurt no one…_

The light turned green and you began to turn, not catching the car flying down the opposite end of the highway and running the red light. It was too late.

                The impact was loud. You flinched and covered your head, the windows of your car shattering and glass flying everywhere. The next thing you knew, you felt weightless, suspended against the seat as the car flew through the air.

                Then everything went black.


	9. The Aftermath

“Just you wait, Nathan, I’ll be back to the room in a second.” Sam said, taking the phone away from his ear and hanging up. He shoved his hands back in his pockets and continued to walk down the side of the street. 

Now 21, Sam had matured greatly. His face began to thin out, cheekbones and jawline had become sharpened with a few years of age. Having encountered trouble in Columbia, Sam faced a broken nose which left it bent and changed the shape. Sam and Nathan made their way around the Spanish city by taking the high road. They climbed on roofs and scaled buildings, resulting in Sam developing larger and more defined muscles. 

Sam walked into the lobby, giving a small nod to the worker at the front desk. He stopped at the small coffee station, grabbing a small cup and filling it halfway. The hallways were quiet and the lights flickered which left the small motel in an eerie state. He shoved the key into the card reader, unlocking the door to the cheap motel room he had rented for the night. 

Nathan was laying on the bed closest to the window, reading a book on his side. He rolled over and looked at Sam, who was standing in the entrance hallway.

“Hey, you hungry?” 

“More or less.” 

Nathan sat up on the bed, closing his book and pushing it to the side. He stretched and let out a small groan as he watched Sam from across the room. 

“Want me to grab you something?” Sam asked, walking to the desk and digging through his duffel bag for some spare cash. 

“Pizza sounds good.” 

“Pizza it is.”

Sam turned around to see Nathan standing in front of him, now only a few inches shorter than himself. Nathan was now 16, and it seemed as if he grew every time Sam blinked. It was difficult to keep Nathan caught up on clothes that fit him. Nathan needed a new pair of shoes every few months in Columbia. Sam had to sacrifice his own clothes for Nathan, sometimes leaving himself shoeless in the streets.

“I’ll be back in a bit.” Sam said, smiling down at Nathan and ruffling his hair.  
Nathan placed himself back onto the bed as Sam left. He returned to his book, flipping through the pages.

Sam hopped onto the sidewalk and looked up to the setting sun. The streetlights began to light up as the sun set, adding an odd glow to the streets. Sam stopped at a crosswalk. The light was red and he stared at his feet before his head shot up.

The roar of an engine caught his attention and he looked up to see a car speeding through traffic, avoiding surrounding vehicles. The car slammed into another after running a red light, making a car that was turning flip. It flew up, and flipped, and flipped until a streetlight stopped the heavy mass. The sound of crushing metal and glass made Sam wince. 

“Holy shit…” Sam said under his breath, running into the middle of the street. He dodged a car that nearly hit him. A horn blared in his face and he ignored it. Sam’s feet were still moving and he stumbled to the now settled and totaled car. “Oh my God…”

Sam got down on his hands and knees, glass cutting up his palms as he tried to get into the window. His eyes landed on the small hunched over figure in the driver’s side. Sam tried prying open the door, pulling with all of his weight, but to no avail. He noticed a small movement in the car and tried to keep any consciousness the girl had. 

“Hey sweetheart, I’m here, I got you.” He called into the window, a crowd now forming around the car. Sam’s hands were shaking as he tugged at the door handles and tried finding a release to the locks. Sam’s breathing was rickety, and his throat felt dry.

Sam attempted to crawl into the window grunting in pain as the glass sliced at his side. His breath hitched and eyes grew wide as he realized who the person was in the front seat. He recognized your profile at once, and froze.

“No… no, no, no…” Sam said, grabbing at your arms and pulling your body towards him. “No, stay with me!” He pulled you from the wreckage, your blood staining his jacket.

“Don’t just stare! Someone call the damn police!” Sam shouted. His voice cracked when he turned to the surrounding crowd. 

“Hey, hey beautiful… It’s me, Sam. Remember me?” He said, pulling you close and noting the gash on your forehead and scratches on your face. “Stay with me, alright? Stay with me.”

He rocked you back and forth and held you against his chest. But unfortunately, you felt nothing. Sam’s breath became unsteady when he realized you were not responding. His eyebrows knitted together and he gritted his teeth, shaking his head.

“C’mon, you can stay awake. You’re strong enough to do that, I know it. Look, what color are my eyes? Can you look at me?” He turned your head to his face. A tear streaked down his face and he shook his head harder.

“Aww, don’t do this.” Sam pressed his forehead against yours. He cradled the back of your head and placed a shaky kiss on your forehead. “Don’t do this to me.”

Sirens could be heard from behind, and Sam wasn’t aware of the ambulance until they began to take you from Sam’s arms. The view from the crowd must have been upsetting to see, a guy sitting in the middle of the street with a girl cradled in his arms.

He held on to you while the paramedics had to pry you from Sam’s hands. They lifted you onto a gurney, wheeling you into the back of the flashing vehicle. Sam attempted to stand up and follow you into the back of ambulance. A medical technician had to hold him back.

“I’m sorry sir, but you cannot follow her.” He said, holding Sam back by the shoulders.

Sam jerked his body away.

“I have to be with her!” He shouted and tried to look past the paramedic. He leaned to the side to see the doors in the back of the ambulance being shut. 

“Please!”

A cop grabbed at Sam’s arm, holding him back. Sam struggled against his hold and strained against his tears.

“Please!”

A few hours later, Sam and Nathan were in the waiting room. Nathan had fallen asleep, curled up in the small uncomfortable chairs that were lined up along the walls. Sam had his head in his hands and was hunched over when a doctor cleared her throat.

“She’s beginning to wake up, if you want to see her.” The doctor said, holding a clipboard to her chest.

Sam stood up immediately and started to walk into the back. He remembered Nathan sleeping in the chair and turned around, shaking him gently to wake him up.

“Nathan, let’s go…” Sam whispered, smiling softly as Nathan shielded himself from the light. Sam grabbed Nathan’s arms and helped him get up.

Sam noticed Nathan was limping as they walked back to your ICU room.

“What’s that?” Sam said, pointing down at Nathan’s feet.

“My leg fell asleep.”

Sam chuckled to himself and his smile vanished when the doctor opened the door to your room. His eyes landed on you laying in the small hospital bed. IV’s were in your arm, wires connected to your chest, and your head bandaged around your left eye. You were watching television, although you weren’t able to comprehend what was going on.

The doctor walked over to your bed and knelt down to you, putting her hand on yours. You lolled your head to the side and looked at her.

“Hey honey… someone is here to see you.” She whispered, rubbing her thumb on your arm.

 

“Who?” You mumbled, your throat dry from sleeping with your mouth open. Your voice was hoarse.

“The man who pulled you from the wreck. He saved your life.” She said, standing back up and patting your hand before exiting the room.

Your vision to the door was blurred and you could not see the faces of the two figures in the doorway. You tried to squint but the darkness in the room prevented you from recognizing them.

“Hello? Come in.” You coughed. The pain shot through your body and you groaned, going back to stare at the ceiling.

Sam and Nathan turned to each other in unison before walking into the room.   
They walked into the room and Nathan placed himself onto the recliner chair that was in the corner.

Sam hesitated and stared at Nathan before nervously looking at the damage done to your body. He sat on the edge of the bed carefully.

“Hey sweetheart. How are you feeling?”


	10. The Meantime

The moonlight illuminated city streets while accompanied by the stars shining brightly against the black of the night. Clouds would occasionally pass over, shutting the sleepy Columbian town in a shroud of darkness for a few moments before finally freeing the buildings from the shadows. 

Mice scrambled out of the alleyway to make room for the boy running down the street. He was out of breath, but he couldn’t stop running. He needed to find somewhere safe. He needed to get back to his brother.

The motel was in sight. The neon sign flashed against the dark canvas of the night, a shining beacon of safety for the now exhausted Nathan. Just a little further.

He sharply turned down another alley, hoping to lose the group of men that were following closely behind. He had lost count of how many there were, but he was outnumbered regardless. So close.

Jumping onto a nearby dumpster and climbing up a fire escape, Nathan could hear the men run past the alley. He could finally catch his breath. His grip loosened on the small ring that laid in the palm of his hand, and he exhaled with relief as he pulled out a string of leather from his pocket. 

Nathan tied a knot around the ring before pulling the leather around his neck and securing another knot. He pulled on the makeshift necklace to check its security, and tucked the ring in his shirt. 

The cool breeze of the night flowed through the alley and ruffled Nathan’s hair as he pulled himself onto the roof. Nathan squinted to get a closer look at his safest escape route. He needed to stick to the shadows.

Nathan began his decent from the building, sticking to staying in the darkness as much as he could. As long as he moved quickly and silently, he should be safe.

The buzz of the neon sign hummed as Nathan hurried to the door of his motel room. He pushed open the door with his shoulder and slid inside, causing Sam to jump and struggle to put something away in his bag. His face was beaten and bruised, with a black eye and cuts covering his face. Dried blood was set under his nose. Bandages were wrapped around his forearm and chest. Nathan could tell he was in another fight.

“You’re back early.” Sam said, adding a pained laugh to accompany his pained smile. “Did you get it?”

“Third time’s a charm.” Nathan said, pulling the necklace off and tossing it across the room to Sam.

“Nice work.” He said, watching as Nathan collapsed onto the bed. His eyes traced back to the small ring in his hands.

“Who knew something so small would be so valuable.” Nathan said, his voice penetrating the silence. He folded his hands across his chest. 

“Who knew Sir Francis Drake had so many secrets.” Sam added, sliding over to the desk and setting the ring down.

“So what happened to you?” Nathan asked, propping himself up on his elbows.  
“I can’t hide anything from you, can I?” Sam said, sarcasm plaguing his words. He pressed his lips together in thought. “Got caught trying to get something to eat.” 

“Again?”

“Yeah, again. Turns out those guards aren’t as stupid as we made them out to be.” Sam walked across the room towards the bathroom. “I’m gonna wash this blood off. You gonna be good?” 

“As good as I’ll ever be.” Nathan responded, pulling a smile from Sam.

The sound of rushing water alerted Nathan that Sam was in the shower. He sat up on the bed and walked over to Sam’s duffel bag, pulling at the zipper. He shuffled through the loose papers and clothes and came across a journal.

Inside were many folded pieces of paper, with words never written, words never sent. Some had scribbles through phrases, something Sam did when he knew his words were stupid. Nathan’s eyes scanned the letters, all of them, addressed to you.

Nathan was about to put the journal away when something cut at his fingers. A picture was tucked in between two blank pages of the leather book. Nathan pulled it out and scanned the face he hadn’t seen in months. 

Sam looked happy, the both of you smiling and laughing within the photo. His cheek was pressed against yours, and Nathan saw the light in Sam’s eyes, the light that had disappeared when they had gotten to Columbia.

“What are you doing?” Sam’s voice pulled Nathan out of his study, making him shove the journal back in the duffel bag. Sam was dripping wet and clean from blood, a towel wrapped around his waist.

“I was looking for something.”

Sam’s eyebrows sunk. “Stay outta there, alright?” He said coldly, turning back into the bathroom to finish drying off and cleaning up.

Nathan’s eyes traced back to the duffel bag before he made his way to the bed, pulling the covers over himself and staring at the ceiling. Seeing your face again made him feel a way he couldn’t describe, like seeing a sibling again.

Sam emerged from the bathroom in a cloud of steam, dressed and re-bandaged. He slowly stumbled to the bed next to Nathan’s and fell on top of the covers. His face was shoved into the pillow with his wet hair still dripping down his face.

Silence passed between the two and Sam lifted his head from the pillow. He reached over to the bedside lamp and pulling the string that immersed the boys in the dark. Sam’s face dropped back into the pillow and he closed his eyes, exhaling sharply as the quiet began to lull him to sleep.

“Do you miss her?” 

Sam opened his eyes as he heard Nathan speak and his heart skipped a beat. He understood what Nathan meant clearly, but didn’t know what to say.

“What?”

“Do you miss her?” Nathan repeated, taking a breath. “I saw the letters.”

“I know you did.” Sam said, his words falling to silence. 

Nathan didn’t respond and Sam hesitated to speak. He did miss you, in fact, he would give anything to see you if even for a moment, but he knew it was not possible. Sam knew that once he left for Columbia, he was leaving you behind, and risking the chance of not seeing you again. But his brother came first, and finding a way to support Nathan was immediate priority. 

“I miss her.” Nathan said once more, rolling over on his side. “Things haven’t been the same.”

Sam rolled over and stared at the spinning fan on the ceiling. 

“I miss her too.” He said, pulling at his fingers. “I really do.”  
\----  
The voice of the man who pulled you from the wreckage pulled at your chest. He didn’t sound familiar, but something in his accent and tone of voice made you feel—sentimental. 

You tried to squint with your one eye but the voice of the boy in the recliner made all of your thoughts and confusion vanish. 

“She probably feels like shit.” The boy said, standing back up from the seat and walking over to your bed. 

Your eyebrows raised as you recognized the voice. Could it really be? No, it’s been too long. They were lost in Columbia. You knew you were probably never going to see them again. The trip to Columbia was a death wish, and even if they made it out alive, why would they come back?

“Sam? Nathan?” You lifted your hand off of the bed and Sam enveloped it in his.  
“Long time no see.”

You tried to smile but all that emerged was a half-hearted smirk, partially from pain and partially from the shame of Sam seeing you like this.

“Sam, I-“ You tried to say, but Sam shook his head. Talking was too much for you, and he knew it. 

You looked at him with tired eyes and Sam appeared like he was going to say something, but the doctor in the doorway stopped him. 

“I think she needs to have some time to rest. You can come back in tomorrow morning, alright?” She said, and Sam’s head turned from her to you.

“Get some sleep, okay? We can talk tomorrow.” He said, standing up and turning to Nathan at his side. “I’ll meet you outside.” 

Nathan walked out of the doorway and Sam turned back to you, leaning over and leaving a gentle kiss on your forehead. Without another word, he turned to the door and walked out, the doctor closing the door behind him. You were left in silence once more. One moment, Sam is in your life, the next moment, he is gone. 

Sam sat back in the waiting room once more, pushing his head into his hands as he hunched over. Nathan quietly placed himself in the seat next to Sam, pulling his knees up to his chest. The eerie stillness of the waiting room made Sam’s anxieties worse. What was he supposed to say? After being gone for months and pulling you out of a crushed car, how were you going to let him waltz back into your life? It was only a question that you could answer, and only a decision you could make.


End file.
